US Strongly Condemns North Korea Mid-Range Missile Launch

The US Department of State condemned North Korea on Wednesday for firing two missiles in quick succession, in what spokesman John Kirby said was a provocation that could lead to further UN sanctions.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The US, Japanese and South Korean militaries detected two launches of presumably Musudan medium-range ballistic missiles from North Korea’s eastern coast earlier today.

"We strongly condemn these and North Korea’s other recent missile tests, which violate UN Security Council Resolutions explicitly prohibiting North Korea's launches using ballistic missile technology," Kirby said in a press statement.

He warned that these "provocations" would bolster general resolve to punish Pyongyang and said the United States would raise the issue with the United Nations. He also reiterated US commitment to defend its allies in the region from the North’s attacks or provocations.

The US Strategic Command said earlier it had detected and tracked what it assessed were Korean-launched missiles that were fired from Wonsan.

"The missiles were tracked over the Sea of Japan, where initial indications are they fell," the command said in a statement, adding that "the missile launches from North Korea did not pose a threat to North America."

All previous test launches of Musudan missiles with a range of 1,550 to 2,500 miles were botched.